Let’s forget about superhero fatigue for a moment. Let’s also forget that the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe — you know, 2008’s “Iron Man” — came out before a significant segment of the current target demographic for MCU movies had been born. Ouch.
For the moment, let’s just talk about Spider-Man and his secret identity, Peter Parker. Created by artist Steve Ditko and writer-editor Stan Lee, the character made his debut in “Amazing Fantasy,” Issue 15, in August 1962. Since he has become a familiar part of the pantheon of gods and demigods populating our modern pop-culture comic book mythology, most people know that he differs from many other superheroes in that he is most often portrayed as an awkward teenager or young adult struggling with loneliness, social acceptance, self-doubt, and even financial issues. He is riddled with guilt, he makes mistakes, and he often exhibits both physical and emotional strain. He uses humor to cope with anxiety. Those very human qualities allow readers to identify with the character, then and now.
Like DC’s flagship character Superman, Spider-Man became an anchor character for Marvel Comics, attracting new readers from a young age. That trend took off in the Silver Age of Comic Books not just in the pages of “The Amazing Spider-Man,” which debuted in 1963, but on the ABC animated series “Spider-Man,” which ran from 1967-70 and introduced that catchy theme song that starts with the line “Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can.” Spider-Man also had his own spot on the Children’s Television Workshop series The Electric Company from 1974-77. If you were a kid in the 1960s and 1970s, you probably started reading comic books because of Spider-Man.
The character is arguably the most beloved superhero due to the character’s selflessness, emotional depth, courage in the face of fear, and relatability.
All those traits are on display in the new film “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” depicted marvelously by Tom Holland in the title role. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and written by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, the film is produced by Columbia Pictures, Marvel Studios, and Pascal Pictures, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing. It is the 38th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the fourth film in the MCU Spider-Man film series following “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” released in 2021.
The studio’s official boilerplate reveals that in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” Peter is fighting crime full-time as Spider-Man in a world that doesn’t remember him. If you recall, in the previous film, Peter convinced Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to cast a spell to make everyone forget Spidey’s existence, including his best friend and his girlfriend. Four years later, the pressure of seeing his old friends move on without him is becoming too much for him to bear. That angst sparks a mutation in Peter that may be beyond his control.
Peter’s ally on the NYC police force, Detective Jean DeWolff (Liza Colón-Zayas), senses the change in him and encourages him to take a break and to try to forge friendships so he doesn’t have to shoulder all that responsibility alone. Peter doesn’t take her advice. Instead, he has a chat with Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) about creating a “universal inhibitor” which can suppress anyone’s superpowers — which is almost certainly going to be a bad idea in the long term. Expect to see more about that in the next phase of the MCU. IYKYK.
As it turns out, that newfound power also seems to be an effective tool against a new threat. The film’s primary adversary — who will go unnamed in this review, because spoilers — is possessing other people to break into a Department of Damage Control facility to locate and acquire something. Spider-Man, used to dealing with “small potatoes” crimes, seeks guidance from Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), now a member of the New Avengers, who provides some insight on the situation without showing any interest in getting involved.
Eventually, the person behind the possessions threatens Peter’s old girlfriend, Michelle “MJ” Jones-Watson (Zendaya). He rescues MJ and then persuades Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal), aka the Punisher, to protect her while he tries to track down the big bad person while simultaneously grappling with those mutation-induced out-of-control powers. He also gets to spend some quality time with his former best buddy, Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon).
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” is exactly what it needs to be: amazing. Holland gives his best performance yet as Parker, who is heartbreakingly committed to carrying the load all by himself. Parker leans into his superhero identity, practically losing himself in the process. For much of the story, he only connects with other supers, distancing himself from normal folks because of his fears. Fortunately, he’s not worried about putting Frank Castle in any danger, because that relationship is pure gold in this film. It’s giving buddy cop vibes. Bernthal practically steals the show.
It takes Peter a long time to reach that important epiphany, but that’s because he’s convinced he can bear the burden alone and keep everyone else out of harm’s way.
Circling back to what makes Spidey a beloved superhero, it’s critical to note that reigning in the threat in this film required more than brute force. After plenty of fantastic action sequences and expertly choreographed fights, Peter uses empathy to affect the outcome.
Lee Clark Zumpe is entertainment editor at Tampa Bay Newspapers, a Tomatometer-Approved Critic, and an author of short fiction. He can be reached by email at lzumpe@TBNweekly.com.